1st LD Writethru: Polling stations open for landmark Greek referendum on debt deal

Greek voters started casting their ballots Sunday in a landmark referendum on a deal with the country's lenders, which may determine whether Greece will avoid a default and possible exit from the eurozone.

Polling stations are open between 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and 7 p.m. (1700 GMT).

About 9.8 million citizens are eligible to vote in approximately 19,000 polling stations nationwide. Because of the tight time limits of the referendum, expatriates will not be able to vote.

In the country's first referendum since 1974, voters are given two ballots, one with the question of the referendum and a blank one.

Opposition parties and some of the citizens have complained that the question is confusing and misleading and some people do not quite understand what they are voting for or against.

The ballot reads "Should deal draft, which was submitted by the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund in the Euro Group of June 25, 2015 and is comprised of two parts, be accepted? The first document is titled 'Reforms for the Completion of the Current Program and Beyond' and the second 'Preliminary Debt Sustainability Analysis'."

A week ago, when the onerous five-month negotiation between Greece and its lenders hit an impasse, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called an unexpected referendum.

The Greeks should choose whether to accept a harsh and nonviable austerity and reforms package proposed by the country's creditors or push for a better deal, Tsipras said.

The prime minister's leftist government urged people to choose "No" to strengthen its bargaining position.

Tsipras reassured that on July 7 Greece will sign a deal and the banks which closed Monday, when capital controls were imposed after the European Central Bank cut off emergency liquidity aid following his surprise call for the referendum, will reopen.

His critics argued that the real question, as interpreted by creditors, was whether Greeks want to remain in the eurozone or not, and warned of a risky gamble with catastrophic consequences for the economy and society if "No" vote prevails.

Since Wednesday, Greece is already in arrears to the International Monetary Fund. Without the safety net of the bailout program that kept it afloat over the past five years, the country is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.

Officials and analysts in Greece and abroad warned that even if the "Yes" vote wins, banks may not reopen on Tuesday, ATMs will be running out of cash and Greek citizens will face more hardships before any deal is reached and liquidity is restored with lenders' help.

Opinion polls this week show that the referendum will be a close race. First exit polls are expected shortly after the voting ends. The first official estimates on the results will be released by the Interior Ministry at around 9 p.m. (1900 GMT). Endi